Spading device



' EL?. M EWRYMON SPIADING DEVICE Filed July 11, 192s :a sheets-sheet 1 Patented Een.. l5, i924,

UNlTED STATES HARRY MERRYMON. (TE CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS.

SPADING EEVICE.

Application led July l1, 1923, Serial No. 650,925.

T0 czZZ whom t may concern:

Be it lrnovvn that I, HARRY MERRYMON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Carbondale, in the county of Jackson and State of Illinois, have invented a neiv and useful Improvement in Spading Devices, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in spading devices, and it consists in the conv binations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention` is to provide a device of the. character described in which a novel means is employed to extract and throw the broken earth from the tines o-f the spading forks.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character' described in Which the arrangement of the tines of the spa-de forks is such as to cause a direct vertical movemlent of that portion of lthe tine which pierces the ground` This structure and arrangement greatly reduces the Work involved in operating the device, since the resistance of the earth on the moving tines is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of my invention is to provide al device o-f the character described in which an auxiliary Wheel is employed for holding the device in an upright position at all times.

A further object of my invention. is to provide a spading device of the character described inl which the rotatable spading elements may be shifted laterally to cover a large or small area of ground at Will.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features ofthe invention Will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, forming part of this application, in Which- Figure 1 is a top plan View of an embodiment of my invention, a part thereof broken away,

Figure 2 is a sectional view substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vievv7 of my invention, showing a modified form of earth extracting device.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a rectangular frame 1 having a pair of diametrically opposed lali'ned supporting members 2. A shaft 3 is securely mounted on the supporting members 2 and virtually bisects the frame l.

In the present embodiment of my invention, I choose to employ a pair of metal drums et rotatably mounted upon the shaft 3 and fixed against lateral movement by a block 5 having a lock screw G therein fixed to the shaft It should be noted that I may employ a larger number of the drums 4i than I have shown in Figure 2 if the greater surface of the ground is to be spaced, but for ordinary purposes, the two-drum device is particularly Well suited,

rIhe particular structure of the spading mechanism employed in each of the drums l is most clearly illustrated in Figure 2 and consists in a plurality of cross braces 7 arranged at equal distances from one anotherl adjacent the peripheral edges of the side Walls of the drum disposed transversely thereto. The braces 7 therefore serve to hold the side Walls of the drum against movement relative to one another' and form a part of the drum itself. These cross braces 7 are earch provided With four radially extending tines 8 arranged at definite spaced relation relative to one another as indicated in Figure l. rIhe tines 8 are curved in such a manner as to cause the tines to enter or break the surface of the ground 9 to be spaded alt an angle of exactly 90 degrees (see Figure 2) as the drum 4 is drawn along the surface of the groumil.

Each of the sets of tines on the cross braces 7 is provided With a metal plate 10 having openings therethrough. through which the outer ends of the tines 8 are projected. The plates 10 of each pair of diametrically opposed tines are connected With one another by a pair of adjustable tire rods fil. Means for adjusting the length of the tie rods l1 is provided in turn buckles 12 disn posed adjacent to one end of the tie rods so that they may be easily manipulated by an operator standing adjacent the peripheral Wall of the drum.

For normal use, I choose to adjust the turn buckles 12 in such a manner as to cause the plate 10 at one end of the tie rod to be adjacent the outer end of its associate tines 8, While the plate at the other end of the tie rod is adjacent to the inner end of its associate tines 8. This is fully and clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

Means for protecting the operator against accidental contact with. the tines 8 as the spading device is moved along the ground, is provided in a semicylindrical metal guard 13 which is bolted, by means of a bolt 14, to the top sides of the frame 1.

Means for automatically shifting the position of' the plates 10 relative to their associate tines 8, whereby the plates 10 upon the tines which have just moved out of engagement with the earth and which have lifted chunks of the earth. as in the process of spading, is provided in the following manner. Substantially rigid cam rods, one of which is indicated at 15, is secured at one end 16 to the guard 13 and is disposed on the under side of the guard. This member 15 tapers gradually from a point 1G toward the peripheral outer wall of the drum 4 and is bent laterally at 17 and projected through the guard 13. That portion 18 of the rod 1.5 extending eXteriorly of the guard 13 is surrounded by a tension spring 19, one end of which is secured at 2O to the guard 13. The opposite end of the spring` 19 is secured to an adjustable, nut 21 threaded upon the outer end of the portion 18 of the rod 15. This structure is such that the plates 10, coming` into contact with the surface of the rods 15 as the drums 4 are rotated in a clockwise direction (see Figure 2), are forced to the inner ends of the tines 8, causing` a longitudinal movement of the tie rods 11 associated therewith, and a like movement of the plates 10 at the opposite end of their associate tie rods.

When one plate 10 is moved inwardly, the diametrically opposed plate is moved outwardly relative to the drum and serves to push any accumulated earth or roots from the tines back upon the ground. The pla-tes remain in this position until the drum is turned onehalf revolution, whereupon the plate is pushed inwardly as in the case of its opposite plate at the beginning of the operation.

Means for holding the frame 1 in a substantially horizontal position while the device is being drawn upon the ground is provided with a fork 22 pivotally mounted at the center of the frame l. This fork has a guide wheel 22 rotatably mounted thereupon and the upper end of the fork 23 has a forwardly extending member 24 upon which a clevis 25 is fixed so that the device may be attached to a tractor, or any suitable harness applied to draft animals. A seat 26 is provided for the yoperator and 1s disposed directly above the central portion of the guard 13. This seat 26 is supported upon an arcuate beam 27 secured at its lower end at 28 to the forward portion of the frame 1. A suitable foot rest 29 is Xed to the beam 27 so that the operator may brace his feet as in driving.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. In em ploying the present embodiment of my invention, two strips of the ground are spaded simultaneously, there being a space between the spaded strips equal to the width of one of the spading drums 4. As the device is drawn on the ground, the tines 8 will pierce the surface 9 of the ground exactly at 90 degrees. This direct vertical movement oflers a minimum amount of friction of the tines with the ground and permits thel device to be drawn at a greater speed than if the tines were stra-ight and not curved.-

lt is essential that this accumulation of substance be extracted from the tines hefore they enter the gro-und. This is done automatically by the plates 1() associated with the tines. Since these plates are connected in pairs by means of common connecting; rods 11, as one plate 10 is pushed inwardly by contact with the rod 15, the opposite plate is pushed outwardly and serves to push oft' any accumulation of substance on the tines after they have moved out of engagement with the ground.

Let us assume that roots or the like have become closely tangled on the tines and that the plate 10 and the tie rod 11 are not sulficiently strongl to push the roots from the tines. No danger will befall the machine. since the tension spring 18 at this time will `sive and permit the plate 10 on the opposite end of the tie rod to pass thereunder. The operator will observe the outer end of the rod 15 of the shoulder 21 and when this end moves outwardly. he will have knowledge that the tines are clogged so that he may stop the machine and manually ex-a tract the roots or other accumulation therefrom.

l'f it is desired to eliminate the operation of the plates 10 and form a closed drum 4. the turn buckles 12 are manually operated so that the plates 10 rest in close proximity with the outer peripheral wall of the drum. This arrancement is satisfactory where the Aaround is thin or where it is composed chieflv of lirrht sand and the like.

In order to spade the unbroken strip loetween the spaded strips. the device is arranged to straddle the spadedstrips upon the next row and the operator maybe ruided in the forward movement of the machine by the strip that has already been snaded.

In Figure 3 I have shown a'modified form of the mechanism for extracting the debris from the tines 8. This structure consists in a shaft 30 disposed substantially in parallel relation with the forward portion of the frame 1. A plurality of radiallv extending fingers 31 are disposed upon the shaft 30. A handle member 32 is also secured upon the shaft 30 so that the shaft 30 may be turned thereby and locked in any desired position by means of a spring pressed lock key 33 on the handle This handle 32 is in the position shown in full lines in Figure B when the attaohment'is in an operative position and the fingers 31 are arranged to lie between the adjacent alined rows ot tines S. lVhen the handle 32 is in the position shown in dotted lines, then the Fingers 3l assume the position shown in dotted lines and the attachment is in an inoperative position.

It will be understood ot course that the particular arrangement of the drums et described in the foregoing specification is suitable for use when the spading device is to be drawn by dratt animals. It, however, a tractor is to be employed, the drums may be placed side by side and a lsingle but broader strip may be spaded. rlhis arrangement ot' the drums ot course is purely optional and may be made to suit the particular requirements of the operator.

While l have here described one specific embodiment or" my invention, it will of course be understood that this is Jfor the purpose ot illustration and that I am not limited to the particular form disclosed, but to any form included within the scope and spirit of the claims.

I claim:

l. A spadingdevice of the type described comprising a drum arranged to be rolled upon the ground, a plurality of Work engaging tines radially disposed on said drum and arranged to engage with the ground as said drum is rolled thereupon, a plurality of plates, slidably mounted upon said tines, whereby movement of said plates toward the outer end of said tines may clear the tines of dbris collected thereupon, and means connecting the diametrically opposed sets of said plates on opposite sides of said drum, whereby movement ot one ot said plates toward said drum may occasion movement of the diametrically opposed plate toward the end of its associate tine.

2. A spading device ot the type described comprising a drum arranged to be rolled upon the ground, a plurality of work engaging tines radially disposed on said drum and arranged to engage with the ground as said drum is rolled thereupon, a plurality of plates slidably mounted upon said tines, whereby movement of said plates toward the outer end of said tines may clear the tines of dbris collected thereupon, and means connecting the diametrically opposed sets of said plates on opposite sides of said drum, whereby movement of one of said plates toward said drum may occasion movement of the diametrically opposed plate toward the end of its associate tine, and manually actuated means for clearing said tines of any residuary dbris collected thereupon.

HARRY MERRYMON. 

